


Unplugged

by Quinn_Oct



Series: Liar's Paradox [2]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Gen, How Do I Tag, Introvert!Ren, Morgana's a great friend, Not Beta Read, Self-Indulgent, Staying In, book?, self-care, why is there no tag for that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:14:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26187790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quinn_Oct/pseuds/Quinn_Oct
Summary: A lazy Sunday morning away from reality was all that Ren needed to root himself back into society.or; Ren's an introvert and is experiencing social exhaustion.
Relationships: Morgana & Persona 5 Protagonist
Series: Liar's Paradox [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1896790
Kudos: 35





	Unplugged

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by me just getting drained with everyone after hours on social media and feeling physically relieved when my cat stopped bugging me from the comfort of my blanket lol. Never knew you could get socially exhausted during quarantine..... I read a fifth of 20,000 leagues under the sea in one day and haven’t got the time to pick it up again.. Interesting plot but it really dragged on and got wordy with technical terminology: like the parts of a submarine or the color of a giant squid.

Ren never realized how enthralling Sunday mornings were.

Laying under the covers of his bed, the teen stared at the water droplets race downward from the foggy windows. It was the only motion that could be observed inside the still attic.  _ 'Did it rain earlier?'  _ he thought, bringing the blanket closer to hide his neck. He shuffled slowly from his comfortable posture on his stomach, head tilting upwards to see the clock opposite from his bed. The device on top of his work desk showed it to be a quarter past 10, the thin second hand silently moving in a circular direction. The cloudy skies and blueish hue of light outside told a different story. Once the data registered to his brain, he brought his head back down and dove into the book.

Despite it being a June morning, everything was going slow. The occasional ring of the bell chimes, the dulled voices of the television on the café, and the unintelligible chatter of the patrons downstairs are the sounds filling the teenager's bedroom. He doesn’t mind it, however, too invested in the book to care about the silence around him.

The attic was inside a bubble, the light bending into the image from the iridescent barrier, perfectly preserving the still tranquility contained inside from the hustle of the outside world. Ren was drifting afloat, his mind neither present nor grounded, far away into the fantasies that the printed letters would take him. An empty coffee cup and his fake glasses were perched on top of his windowsill, the aroma of caffeine still lingering in the air despite the drink being long gone into the raven's stomach. It was ironic, how his glasses hinder his sight when he's reading. The lens disorients him, the black rims hanging on the edge of his eyesight, the nose pads putting enough pressure on his nose bridge to make it mildly uncomfortable. He'd gotten used to its presence during the past months, enough to make it seem nonexistent, yet it somehow makes itself known and a nuisance whenever he reads.

An arm reached out from beneath the thin fabric, setting aside an old bookmark right next to the glasses. Ren moved on his bed, position changing from laying on his stomach with his elbows keeping his head upright, to laying on his back with hands holding the book in the air. Moving his legs in a way that would lead his pillow from the other end to his current location (a 180 from his usual sleeping position), he used the pillow to support his head, ebony strands tangling further and spreading outwards like a halo, framing his face. He is aware that his arms would start to sore, but the soft light hit just the right angles to make the book readable. Not too bright, not too dark; just right. The subdued sunlight was the only source of light on his now dim room. It didn’t bother the teen in the slightest, rather pleasing him as everything was tinted of pale blue and grayish hues.

Taking note of the aroma of coffee, the chilly breeze from the windows, the lack of electronics, and the unnatural absence of a certain black-furred companion, Ren admired the quiet atmosphere before turning his attention to the book. Closing the covers with a finger to signify where he stopped, he turned the small book around, examining every detail of the image of the copper diving helmet printed on the covers.

_ '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne.' _

A book about the travels of a captive scientist and his colleagues traveling the deep seas aboard a mechanical sea monster. Ren was never a fan of literature depicting fantastical adventures and outlandish explorations, often opting for those in the genre of fiction that contained a direct synopsis. Heists, dystopias, mysteries - even something as absurd as Kafka's writings, he'd much rather immerse himself in. That does not mean that he's averse to the fictional trait; he still enjoys the genre, still sees the beauty of worldbuilding, but he'd rather buy a book of a different sample.

Frankly, the only reason why he was reading was that it was a gift. The only book with him that remained unread, the only piece of literature able to provide him an escape from the confines of Tokyo. An old classic, Verne would undoubtedly bring him in an adventure, albeit lengthy and winded through the author's excessive vocabulary. Ren would be lying if he said that the work was easy to read, the teen being reminded of the early mornings when he fought against sleep with how slow-paced and unengaging the story was, spending more than a hundred pages at exposition only. But honestly, he accepts the challenge.

The challenge of being imagining the scene in his head, the image the author intends to paint through his excessive detail and description in his work. The challenge to immerse his brain into the high tech submarine, of steel containers and unique sea creatures found under the depths of the ocean. Ren would go through great lengths to go through the pages of the book, to let the piece of fiction take him away from his corporeal body.

The action of thinking is rather refreshing. Ren would rather let his mind wander and explore on his own than physically wander around town and mingle with the others.

You see, despite the grandeur and extravagance Joker embodied, despite the extroversion he radiated, he was really anything but. He enjoyed his time to himself, lost in his own world, creating stories of 'what ifs' and 'hows' and 'whys'. Sadly, ever since he met Ryuji and Morgana on that fateful weekday, he always found himself with someone, whether it be Sojiro in Leblanc, his classmates back in Shujin, his confidants scattered in Tokyo, or even with Morgana who claimed his handbag as his bed. It was bearable before, the lights and activity buzzing around the capital enough to distract him of his inner troubles, filled Ren's life with neon colors and bizarre happenings that made him forget who he is - a teenager, and focus on what he could be - a vigilante wielding supernatural powers, as absurd as it sounds like.

Surrounded by people he cares about, and people who care about him, he thought that everything is lively. Just him and his loved ones against the world. Unfortunately, the city started to drain him slowly over the last couple of months, making even the presence of his friends and confidants tiring. He noticed it when it was too late, when he was in an irritable mood that made even the presence of another infuriating. Ren was already exhausted, already tired.

Tired of chatting, tired of talking - tired of another's presence, in general.

He did not lash out, did not act on his frustration, but it might've shown through his actions. What else would be the reason for his group's shared looks of concern? The raven tried to bear it, to take time for himself so that they would not notice. What kind of leader would he be if he wouldn’t become available for his friends in need? Morgana always teased that he felt his high when it came to providing help to others, the assistance being wanted or not irrelevant. Sadly, he might've reached his limit.

It came unannounced, unexpected. After a (rather aggressive) battle in mementos - one of the firsts of Yusuke's exploration, mind you - he released all his pent up frustration on the poor shadow who just, unfortunately, invaded his personal space during the fight, making him mercilessly killing it. With not another word or even a glance to his teammates after, he left the Metaverse soon after. Ren figures that he must have looked unapproachable since not even Morgana followed him back to Leblanc. A small amount of guilt crept into his heart at the memory, but the fire was quickly extinguished when he realized that somehow it worked in favor of him.

At long last, his much needed time of seclusion came to him.

Luckily for the raven, he did not have any commitments booked for the weekend, although some of his friends might wonder where he is. A routine plays through his body, wordless picking up his phone to update the rest on his status. A problem surfaced when his eyes flitted to the black screen. A wave of exhaustion immediately came over him, suddenly lacking the energy to lift his fingers and turn on the electronic device. For a split second, the surroundings lost its saturation, turning into a bleak gray in the same pigment of his phone case. Conflicted with the option of messaging the thieves or resting, he settled with the latter, putting the phone back on the windowsill and picking the book from where he left off and bringing the blanket further to his face.

_ ‘Boss probably told them already of my whereabouts. They would’ve entered the attic if they thought I was in danger.’ _

No phones, no laptops, no gadgets to ring or call to bind him to reality. It was his day to recharge with his own Ren-sized outlet

The quiescence of the attic was unintentionally broken by the arrival of a black cat, childish voice popping the delicate bubble of Ren's space. Sighing, Ren hid beneath the covers like a kid, not in the right mindset to entertain his roommate - or anyone, for that matter.

** “Ren? Are you okay?”  ** he heard Morgana say from behind the covers. Based on the soft footsteps that slightly creaked the wooden floorboards, the black cat was walking closer towards the bed, jumping from the floor to the sofa and to his work desk, tail accidentally hitting various items for lock pick making. Silence ensured after, with every tick of the second making Ren suffer in the discomforting hush. He wanted to speak but at the same time couldn’t, stuck in his own mind that was weighing the pros and cons of letting a word out. He hoped that Morgana would understand his silence, even if he couldn’t understand his own refusal to speak either. It lacked reason, illogical, yet his mind was vehemently against speaking; the very act of response seemed like it would break the balance and illusion he kept to himself for his relaxation.

Ultimately, he opted to shut it, slightly sinking under the blanket.

The fog from the windows slowly evaporated, as evident on the lack of blur from the window sunlight. A beat passes by. Two beats. Three. Ren heard a small sigh from above, making minuscule movements to tilt his head and listen clearer in Morgana’s direction.  ** “So this was what it was. I knew you were acting weird.”  **

_ ‘…’ _

Morgana’s tail stopped hitting the table, yellow collar letting out a little ruffling noise as the feline stretched.  ** “I’ll go over to Lady Ann’s place. Message her instead when you’re finished recharging.” **

_ ‘.. What?’ _

Ren peaked his head out, wide gray eyes looking at Morgana through ebony locks. The cat jumped from the table, licking his own paws from microscopic dirt.  ** “I suppose everything has been overwhelming. I haven’t exactly left your side either...”  ** he said, blue slit eyes directly staring at the human.  ** “Sorry for not noticing. I’m sure I and the other thieves understand, so take your time.”  ** He stood up and began to walk away

** "Morgana,"  ** the feline leered at him, letting out a low purr of in response. The corners of Ren's lips slightly curled upwards, smile free of the confidence and false bravado that donned Joker's infamous smirks. The smile was small yet genuine, surprising Morgana for seeing yet another side of his friend.

** "Thank you." **

Morgana sighed, tail swishing back and forth, before showing Ren the cat's version of a smile. With a wordless goodbye, he left, leaving the leader of the Phantom Thieves alone in his own blissful company.

**Author's Note:**

> He's literally my comfort character at this point, and I didn't even know that was a thing...
> 
> During these trying times, self-care is important ^_^ take care everyone!!
> 
> Feel free to talk to me on [ twt ](https://twitter.com/Quinn_Oct) :DDD


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